


100 ways to live

by Gassu



Series: Science, Life & ABCs [12]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: 100 words challenge, Bruce Banner Needs a Hug, Clint Barton Needs a Hug, Crack, Ficlet Collection, Gen, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-12
Updated: 2016-01-12
Packaged: 2018-05-13 11:36:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 1,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5706214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gassu/pseuds/Gassu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Collection of 100 ficlets.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> You can find these ficlets from [my fiction blog](http://ganetfiction.tumblr.com/) also, but I decided to post these here too.
> 
> So, these are actually my response to this [100 word challenge](http://queenpetra.deviantart.com/art/100-Word-Challenge-List-146992265) thing because I wanted to try it out.
> 
> And I will try to write these as often as I can.

There was kid on the tree again, hanging upside down while his legs were holding him on branch. He was also reading a book and Tony thought the kid was really weird. He walked straight over to the other kid.

“Hey!“

The other kid slightly looked over his book and the image was a bit bizarre when he was still hanging upside down. Somehow he still had his glasses on and the young Stark rolled his eyes at that.

“You are weird.“ he just stated to the weird tree boy.

The boy just lifted his eyebrow and looked at Tony like saying _‘Really?’_

“You are always here, hanging on the branch, sometimes sitting on the tree and sometimes…” he gestured at the boy. “Hanging upside down, but always with a book. What is wrong with you?“

The boy closed his book with a suffering sigh and then took a light swing so he could get up and sit on the branch. He then looked around as if checking if there were anyone else and then looking back at the young raven haired boy. “I like trees.“ and he shrugs. “I also like reading. I like this place too. It’s nice. Quiet.“

Tony just looked at the boy like he was not entirely believing a word the boy had just said. “Ookay. Sure, if you like that kind of stuff.“ He then rolled his eyes and looked at the tree itself.

“You want to come up?“ the other boy asked when noticing how Tony was looking at the tree. Tony touched the tree with his hand and then looked around if there were anyone else to witness what he was going to do next. Then when he didn’t see anyone, he started to climb up the tree, not first really succeeding on it, until the other boy offered a helping hand. “Here, take my hand.“

Stark nodded and took a hold of his hand. It got easier to climb the tree then and soon they both could sit down on the branch.

“By the way, I’m Bruce.“ the kid introduced himself.

Tony grinned while he settled down on the branch for better position. “I’m Tony, nice to meet you.“


	2. Poison

They are poison to this whole mission, oh why did they have to come along to this shithole? Bruce was trying to keep himself calm while Hulk was trying to get out of his mental prison. The pure rage he could feel burning through his mind and his skin.

“Banner, please, try to keep him inside.“ Natasha - Black Widow - tries to help him with her soothing voice which he only - at the moment - could determine as a threat. He knew - Hulk knew - what she was capable of, what she is, and that kind of voice coming from her is the last thing she should have done because the rage is burning stronger when he hears it.

“I’m fucking trying!“ He yells and then growls. Those bastards, the enemy, shot him to the leg moment earlier and he was locked inside to strange room with Black Widow and Captain America. The bulled has wounded him and the Hulk has not taken it lightly.

“If we could just take this door down.“ Steve says and kicks at the door, but it only leaves a dent on it. There isn’t any windows and it’s unnerving.

“I may be able to do it. Please watch over for the Doc, we need to be ready if the Big Guy comes out for play.“ and then Natasha comes over at the door, opens the control panel on the left and tries to get the door open with her secret SHIELD tech. Meanwhile Steve goes to stand nearby Bruce.

“You okay, Bruce?“ he asks, wanting to make sure their friend is okay.

Bruce laughs darkly. “This looking okay, Cap?“ and he laughs again. “Been better.“ He then coughs and curls up to himself, still trying to keep the Hulk inside in his mind. “But please hurry. We… - You need to get out of here soon.“

“Bruce…“ Steve watches his friend sadly, feeling like he should reach out for him, but knowing it will only make things worse at the moment. Then he notices the blood loss Bruce has had and frowns. “Bruce, you’re bleeding.“ He then is reaching for the leg, but then Bruce kicks his hand.

“NO! Don’t touch me! Don’t touch the blood!“ he yells and is looking at Steve, his face filled with horror. “Never - touch - the - blood.“

Steve frowns even more until he remembers what he has read from SHIELD files about Dr. Bruce Banner AKA The Hulk. “Your blood is radioactive.“

Bruce lets out a little relieved laugh. “It’s poison.“ Then he sighs. “I’m poison.“ He looks at Steve then and Captain America feels like he is looking at a man who has lost all his hope when the doctor says next. “So, don’t try to help me. Or you’re the one who is going to pay the most of it.”

After that he curls up at himself again, trying to use meditation as his next weapon against agitated Hulk. Natasha succeeds to open the door and she leaves the room. Steve looks at Bruce, then at the door and he knows that he has to leave Bruce like that for now. No one is going to attack him now, and most likely everyone is probably already evacuated from the building in fear of rampaging Hulk.

And it’s so unfair to Bruce. That he is used like this. By the enemies and sometimes… even them.

Maybe Bruce’s blood is poison, but Steve knows this kind of life can also poison a person.


	3. Abandoned

_Just great._ It’s always so great to be inside of a wooden box, possibly buried deep into the ground. Alive. There is not much of oxygen left and Clint is trying to not panic. He can make it, just little more. The help is coming. He can always trust Natasha on this one.

But then there are these deep dark fears of his. _There won’t be any help. He is abandoned here, alone, alive. Suffering until death comes to pick him up. Clint Barton - just a trickster, who couldn’t even do anything to save his own ass. What good has he really done? Does anyone miss him really?_

He notices soon that there isn’t much time left and he will soon lose consciousness.

_Shit._

_Where is Natasha?_

Cough.

 _Maybe, just a little nap._ And he closes his eyes.

_Abandoned? Such a funny thought._


	4. Crisis

Everybody was running around like chickens in panic.

“Hurry up, guys! He will be coming soon!“ Tony rushed.

“We should have started decorating everything a lot earlier.“ Bruce deadpanned.

“Throw those ornaments there and get the cake.“ Natasha said to Tony who did as told without a second thought.

“Uh, guys.“ Tony swallowed when he had opened the fridge.

“What? Did you drop the cake?“

“The cake is missing.“

“The cake - WHAT?“ Clint had let out a squeaky sound. “Did anyone pick up the cake from the bakery?“

Everyone looked at each other and shook their head. Clint sighed.

“So in other words we are having a cake crisis over here.“

“Shit. Where Vision, Thor and Steve are now? We should get Steve to go pick up the cake.“ Tony thought.

“I already contacted him. Thor promised to keep company for Vision and buy us more time in the meantime.“ Natasha told and put her phone in the pocket.

“Great.“ Tony rubbed his hands together. “Cake crisis averted.“

“For now.“ Bruce added and Tony glared at the scientist.

It was Vision’s first birthday party and they will make it perfect, whatever happened.


	5. Dream

Steve swears he could still see them every time he closed his eyes. Those people many years ago, young and strong, only to find out that every single one of them were gone now. Well, almost. Peggy was still around. She had gotten older, but she still was his girl. Or maybe he was her boy. Maybe it was both. Definitely both. Looking at her now, he only wishes that he could turn back on time to get back all that lost time what he could have had with her.

Howard had died in car accident and Steve was sad to find that out. No one deserved to die like that and it had definitely affected Tony in the past. Steve doesn’t know what kind of parent Howard had been, but he wants to believe that he had been trying his best at least. Steve would have also wanted to meet with Mrs. Stark, because that Howard he knew back in the days was someone he just couldn’t think of as married man. Anyway, Tony clearly reminds him of Howard and he isn’t sure is that good or bad thing.

Bucky… Steve misses him a lot. There was time when he thought he had lost him for good, but after the incident with HYDRA and meeting with the Winter Soldier… Well, lets say he was shocked to find out that the assassin had been his best friend all this time, but it was followed by relief because he wasn’t alone with this _curse_. He hadn’t _lost him for good_. And after Bucky had disappeared again, Steve had been eager to find out about his whereabouts. And when he will find him, they will talk. They talk, Steve will hug him and never let him go. That is something he is waiting for, but also he isn’t sure what he should say to him. Maybe nothing. Maybe everything. He wants to.

He wants to.

Until then, Steve will dream about the lost time. About the past that never happened and let it hum him into deep restless sleep.


	6. Shooting Star(s)

Tony can’t look at the sky like he did before the Chitauri incident. He remembers looking at the cloudy sky, enjoying flying around as Iron Man - that first try with it, he can still remember the excitement - and sometimes noticing the horizon. He remembers admiring it secretly and enjoying its beauty.

Now he is scared. He has seen what is beyond that blue sky and he is so scared. It’s even harder at night when the sky is pitch black and the only things there are either clouds or stars.

Stars are even worse because they remind him of space. About the things that are coming.

Coming.

Coming.

To destroy them. Anytime. Anywhere. They are just a small part of the universe full of other things. Threats. Enemies with advanced technology.

If he can’t stop them, who can? No, he has to protect them. Everyone.

So he looks up at the sky again finally, after so long. It’s like black canvas with bright dots. He witnesses a shooting star and closes his eyes.

He never has believed them, but if just for now…

He wishes that if worse was to become true, he could be the shooting star that brings people their last hope.


End file.
